In light of the increasing number of spurious "royal experts" infiltrating the media, Princess Palace has created this online testing and training center/centre (a.k.a. trivia quizzes) to facilitate the recognition and certification of actual royal experts. Anyone receiving certification may add C.R.E. (certified royal expert) after one's name. This site is created and maintained entirely for fun. Its creator asserts no authority for certifying anyone's qualifications for anything.

In light of the increasing number of spurious "royal experts" infiltrating the media, Princess Palace has created this online testing and training center/centre (a.k.a. trivia quizzes) to facilitate the recognition and certification of actual royal experts. Anyone receiving certification may add C.R.E. (certified royal expert) after one's name. This site is created and maintained entirely for fun. Its creator asserts no authority for certifying anyone's qualifications for anything. ;)

27 March 2011

The second son of the Prince of Wales and his late wife, Diana, has attracted a lot of media attention throughout his life. Recent headlines include qualifying as an Apache pilot, serving as his brother's best man at the upcoming royal wedding and making a trek to the North Pole for charity. This quiz is designed to find out how much you know about this young man who will likely never be king.

1. What is his full name?

2. What is the name and purpose of the charity he founded with another royal prince and who is his princely partner?

3. Where did he attend university?

4. After the breakdown of his parents' marriage, some people alleged that Prince Charles was not his father. Who did these people claim was his real father?

5. Harry has attracted negative media attention in the past. Identify at least one of the controversies attached to him.

26 March 2011

Many royals have enjoyed 'a bit of stuff' on the side, sometimes resulting in illegitimate children. Even some of today's royal men have confirmed that they have fathered children out of wedlock. For this quiz, our Royal Experts were asked to answer, "Who's the daddy?"

1. James Duke of Monmouth

Monmouth is the eldest and probably the most famous of King Charles II's numerous illegitimate children. The son of Lucy Walter, he was born in The Netherlands a few months after his father became king. He was well-liked by his father, who gave him several titles and a rich wife. However, when Monmouth and others claimed that his parents had been married and that he therefore was the rightful heir, the king officially proclaimed that he had not married Lucy. After the king's death, the Protestant Monmouth reasserted this claim and led a rebellion against his Catholic uncle King James II, who had him executed. Sarah Duchess of York is one of Monmouth's many descendants.

2. Robert Earl of Gloucester
Another eldest and most famous illegitimate son, Gloucester was the son of Henry II of England. When the sinking of the White Ship left Henry without a legitimate male heir, the popular and powerful Gloucester might have sought the throne for himself--only two generations had expired since another bastard seized the English throne (see below). Instead, he became a diehard supporter of his royal half-sister Empress Matilda in her war against their usurping cousin King Stephen. He died before Matilda's son succeeded Stephen, but Gloucester's granddaughter Isabella later married Matilda's grandson King John, uniting the legitimate and illegitimate lines, but their marriage was later annulled because they were too closely related.

3. Alexandre Coste
Perhaps the most recent royal bastards, Alexandre is the seven-year-old son of the reigning Prince Albert II of Monaco, who has also acknowledged that he is the natural father of an American teenager named Jazmin Grimaldi. Alexandre's lives on a French estate provided by his father for him and his mother, Nicole Coste a Togolese airline hostess. With Albert planning to marry Charlene Wittstock this summer, he may have legitimate children to succeed him. If not, he has the option of adopting Alexandre or Jazmin and making them his heir; a solution adopted by his great-grandfather, Prince Louis II whose only child was illegitimate. This is unlikely, however, as Albert has confirmed his sister Princess Caroline and her children as his heirs if he has no legitimate children.

4. Henry Fitzroy Duke of Richmond
Richmond was living proof that King Henry VIII was capable of fathering boys, which perhaps helped seal the fate of his many son-less wives. Born not long after his royal half-sister Mary, the future Bloody Mary, the boy was acknowledged by the king: not only does his surname mean "king's son" but his title Duke of Richmond was derived from the family of the king's father, Henry VII. After Henry's second wife failed to have a son, Parliament was preparing an act that could have lead to making Richmond the king's royal heir. However, the 17-year-old boy became ill and died that same summer. A year later, Henry's third wife finally gave him a legitimate son, Edward VI, who outlived his royal father but who, like his bastard half-brother, died as a teenager.

5. William the Conqueror

In an age when might equalled right, William the Conqueror, did not let his bastardy stand in his way. As a child, William the Bastard, as he was known during his lifetime, was selected to succeed his father Robert as Duke of Normandy. Supported by powerful lords, he was able to maintain this position into adulthood. Later, he convinced the childless English king to name him his heir and then used his military prowess to defeat the English earl, Harold Godwinson, whom the king named heir upon his deathbed. In less than a year, William had firmly established himself as King of England. His legacy lives on in the daily life of today's royal family for it was William who first constructed Windsor Castle nearly a millenium ago.

6. The Fitzclarences
Before becoming the "Sailor King", William IV was the very virile Duke of Clarence, who showed great loyalty to one woman, actress Dorothy Jordan. They lived together for more than 20 years and produced 10 children, all of whom lived to adulthood. By the time, William made a royal marriage, Dorothy had died, but his royal wife accepted the lively Fitzclarences, even though she had no living children of her own. The oldest Fitzclarence was made Earl of Munster, a title that passed down through six generations until the 7th Earl died without male heirs in 2000.

7. Enrique II of Castile
Better known as Henry of Trastamara, Enrique was the son of Alfonso XI. He seized the throne from his royal half-brother, Pedro the Cruel, and had him beheaded. He spent much of his reign fighting John Duke of Lancaster who married Pedro's daughter Constance and claimed the Castilian throne through her. When they couldn't beat Enrique, John and Constance married their daughter to his son. Both the royal lines of Aragon and Castile were descended from Enrique. Although his brother was called "The Cruel," it was actually Henry who started the official policy of persecuting Jews that evolved into The Inquisition.

8. William Longespee

An acknowledged son of King Henry II of England. When Henry's royal sons rebelled against him, Longespee remained loyal and was the only one of his numerous children to be with him when he died. Nevertheless, he continued his loyal service to the throne, first to his half-brother Richard the Lionheart who married him to the Countess of Salisbury and later to another half-brother King John, who faced many baronial revolts. Longespee finally broke ranks with John after Magna Carta but again supported the throne when John's son succeeded him as Henry III.

9. Gustav Gustavsson
As the natural son King Gustav Adolphus of Sweden, he was ennobled with the surname af Vasaborg. Much like Robert Earl of Gloucester, Gustav was a royal bastard who supported his royal half-sister. Unlike Gloucester, however, Gustav didn't have to fight for Queen Christina to maintain her throne (although she later gave it up). In recognition of his loyal service, she made him Count of Nystad and later named him Governor of Estonia. Gustav married and had children.

10. The Beauforts
Soon after John Duke of Lancaster married Constance of Castile (see above), he began an affair with one of the noblewomen who had served in the household of his mother and of his first wife Blanche. Katherine Swynford was the widowed sister-in-law of Geoffrey Chaucer, but it was her affair with John that made her notorious. She was labeled a great whore, but the relationship seems to have been a great love match. Four of their children lived to adulthood and were always acknowledged, not only by their father, but by the entire royal family, including their royal half-siblings. Given the surname Beaufort after one of their father's French holdings, they were initially barred from royal inheritances. After Constance died, however, their parents married and first the pope and then the king legitimized them in their adulthood. When their royal half-brother seized the throne as Henry IV, they supported him. Their descendants were loyal Lancastrians in the Wars of the Roses and it was through one of ther granddaughters, Margaret Beaufort, that her son, the future Henry VII claimed royal descent although he claimed the throne by right of conquest and married a daughter of the House of York. So the Beauforts helped start the wars and helped end them.

19 March 2011

Many royals have enjoyed 'a bit of stuff' on the side, sometimes resulting in illegitimate children. Even some of today's royal men have confirmed that they have fathered children out of wedlock. For this quiz, identify the royal father of the following people. Submit your answers via the comments button or e-mail them to princessesreign@gmail.com

1. This special and rare material has been included in royal wedding rings since 1923, and William and Kate may likely follow in the tradition. What is this material?
The material is Welsh gold, which has come from the Clogau and Gwynfynydd gold mines. (Since this is Welsh, spelling does not count.)

2. Since the Royal Family has been mum so far on what royal peerage William will receive (if any), many different ideas on what his new bride will be called have all been batted around. Why are the following title suggestions incorrect?a. Princess Catherine of Wales Kate will not hold the title of Princess in her own right, and therefore cannot put the title before her first name.b. Catherine, Princess of Wales First of all, William is not The Prince of Wales yet, and therefore Kate cannot be "Princess of Wales." Secondly, this is the form of title used for women who have divorced their titled husbands. Notable women with this style and title are Diana, Princess of Wales and Sarah, Duchess of York. So Kate could only be "Catherine, Princess of Wales" if she divorced William after Charles had become King and invested William as The Prince of Wales. For the record, Kate's official title will be Princess William of Wales unless the Queen gives William another title (Duke/Earl of Someplace), in which case she'll be Duchess or Countess of Someplace.

3. Kate's engagement has thrown her family into the spotlight, especially her younger sister Pippa, who will be maid of honor. Apart from best man Prince Harry, just who are these people in the wedding party?
Bridesmaids: a. The Lady Louise Windsor - daughter of the Earl and Countess of Wessex, and thus William's cousinb. The Honourable Margarita Armstrong-Jones - daughter of the Queen's nephew Viscount Linley, and thus William's second cousinc. Grace van Cutsem - William's goddaughterd. Eliza Lopes - Camilla's granddaughter

4. Part of the royal hullabaloo surrounding the wedding have been calls for William to pass over his father and succeed his grandmother as King. Apart from nullifying the work of a man who has trained to rule for nearly his entire life, why will this not happen?
Simply because the British constitution does not allow it. The Queen does not have the power to choose who inherits the throne (nor do the British people, for that matter). The only ways that William could skip over Charles would be if Charles were to predecease both William and the Queen, marry a Roman Catholic, or abdicate. Furthermore, under the Statute of Westminster 1931, changes to the Constitution regarding succession (e.g., allowing eldest children to succeed, regardless of gender) require the consent of every nation in the Commonwealth.

5. Where are the official sources to get British Royal Wedding information?Information (such as it is; with six weeks to go, many of the details are still under wraps) can be obtained by following The Prince of Wales' official Twitter account (@ClarenceHouse) or by visiting the official British Royal Wedding website.

13 March 2011

If you want to try this quiz, written by Robyn E.C.R.E., you can use the comments button to submit your answers or e-mail them to princessesreign@gmail.com.

As the days count down to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, it seems like everybody and their brother is offering some sort of news update. However, while the most basic information is widely available (Westminster Abbey, April 29th, and so on), a lot of the correct royal details seem to be hidden amongst rampant speculation and rumors. Certified Royal Experts can fill in where these professionals are missing the mark.

1. This special and rare material has been included in royal wedding rings since 1923, and William and Kate may likely follow in the tradition. What is this material?

2. Since the Royal Family has been mum so far on what royal peerage William will receive (if any), many different ideas on what his new bride will be called have all been batted around. Why are the following title suggestions incorrect?
a. Princess Catherine of Wales
b. Catherine, Princess of Wales

3. Kate's engagement has thrown her family into the spotlight, especially her younger sister Pippa, who will be maid of honor. Apart from best man Prince Harry, just who are these people in the wedding party?

4. Part of the royal hullabaloo surrounding the wedding have been calls for William to pass over his father and succeed his grandmother as King. Apart from nullifying the work of a man who has trained to rule for nearly his entire life, why will this not happen?

5. Where are the official sources to get British Royal Wedding information?

12 March 2011

1. Which of the Queen's homes was built by her great-great grandfather to remind him of his homeland?

The Queen's home in Scotland, Balmoral Castle, was built by Prince Albert, German-born consort of Queen Victoria. The couple visited Scotland shortly after their marriage and decided that they wanted to make a home there. However, they preferred to find something more rural than the existing royal Scottish palaces. When they purchased the Balmoral Estate near Aberdeen, Prince Albert oversaw the design and construction of new castle there, drawing upon his boyhood home, Schloss Rosenau in Coburg, for inspiration. Balmoral is a private home and is owned directly by the Queen. The royal family usually spends its summer holiday there, hunting and fishing. Victoria and Albert also bought the neighboring estate of Birkhall, which eventually became the home of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and is now used by the Prince of Wales.

2. Which of the Queen's homes was actually known as "The Queen's House"?
King George III purchased a London home for his bride, Queen Charlotte, from the Duke of Buckingham. Initially a private home for the Queen, it did not become the monarch's official royal residence in London until 75 years later when their granddaughter Queen Victoria ascended the throne. Before that, the official residence was St. James's Palace (and today, ambassadors are still appointed to the "Court of St. James.") Buckingham Palace is part of the Crown Estate and is held in trust by the reigning monarch. The palace has been greatly expanded over the years and it was bombed during World War II while the King and Queen were in residence. Currently, it is the official home of the Queen, Prince Philip, and Prince Edward and his family. Since 1993, Buckingham Palace has been open to the public during the late summer, while the Queen is at Balmoral in Scotland.

Another former royal residence was also called The Queen's House. Located in Greenwich and built by the famous architect Inigo Jones by James I for his wife Anne of Denmark, it was not completed before her death. Construction halted for a decade until Charles I decided to complete it for his wife Henrietta Maria of France. For the last two centuries, it has not been used as a royal residence. Today, it is used as a museum and for special events.

3. Which royal residence did the last Prince of Wales call "The Aunt Heap"?
Asthmatic King William III purchased Kensington Palace four centuries ago to get away from the coal fire smoke in London. Since the mid-18th century, the palace has been divided into used by members of the extended royal family, loyal retainers, and others selected by the monarch. It was the childhood home of the future Queen Victoria. In recent decades, it was the home of Princess Margaret, Princess Alice, and Diana Princess of Wales. It still houses the Queen's cousins, the Duke of Kent, the Duke of Gloucester, and Prince Michael of Kent and their families. The other side of the palace is open for tours and you can even use some of the spaces for your own special event.

4. As one of his first acts as king, Edward VIII re-set the clocks at which royal home?

Another private home of the Queen, the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk was purchased by Queen Victoria for use as a country house by her heir, the future King Edward VII. An avid hunter, Edward ordered all of the clocks set half an hour later to make the daylight last longer for the hunters. It continued into the reign of George V, but was abolished by Edward VIII. Today, the royal family spends New Year's at Sandringham and the Queen remains in residence there until February. The house is open to the public from April to October. On another note, Diana Princess of Wales was born in Park House on the Sandringham Estate; her father was an equerry to the Queen.

5. Many royal homes have stained glass, but only one has windows depicting fire fighters. Which is it?

Following a fire that destroyed several important areas of Windsor Castle, a massive restoration was undertaken. As a thank you to the fire brigades who helped save the ancient structure, a stained glass window representing them was installed. Windsor Castle is the oldest royal residence still in use by the Queen. Its first edifice was built by William the Conqueror a millenium ago. The Queen grew up at Windsor, first at Royal Lodge (now the home of The Duke of York and his daughters) before her father's accession and then in the castle itself during World War II. She has continued to use Windsor as her weekend home throughout her reign. In 1917, King George V derived his family's new surname from the castle, and it is really considered a family home by the royals and both Prince Charles and Prince Edward were married nearby. Nevertheless, Windsor Castle is also open to the public.

BONUS: Which is your favorite royal residence and why?

Elizabeth Loman: "Honestly, my favourite Royal Residence is Windsor Castle because of the history associated with it. WC is the oldest occupied Castle in the world. It was built by our "first" Monarch William the Conquerer & now nearly 50 rulers later its still relevant. Also, Windsor Castle seems to be much more of a "home" than other Royal Residences. Buckingham Palace is for business. Sandringham and Balmoral are for holidays. The Queen & Prince Philip are at WC nearly every weekend while in London."

Yvonne Strong: "Windsor Castle. That building just incorporates and radiates history. It seems like the solid beating heart of England."

Robyn H.: "Actually, my favorite royal residence is the Tower of London. It comes from my love of Anne Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey, since that is where they died are are buried. Of the currently-occupied residences, Buckingham Palace is my favorite - it's so beautiful, and to me, it's one of the locations that just *is* London to me."

Marlene Koenig Eilers: "Favorite royal castle …two, actually … Hampton Court and Leeds Castle, built by Edward I, and with great connections to Alexandria and Fairfax county."

Christina Croft: "My favourite royal residence is Osborne House which is, to me, the most beautiful place on earth! It encapsulates beautiful Prince Albert’s character so perfectly. It is a real family home – the children’s little gardens around the Swiss Cottage, the toy fort and the bathing machine; the nurseries and Vicky and Bertie’s childhood museum - and it also captures Prince Albert’s sense of the aesthetic. The view across the Solent reminded him of the Bay of Naples, and so the house is built in a beautiful Italianate style. The corridors are filled with the most beautiful works of art (including the erotic images and statues that he and Queen Victoria often sent to each other as gifts) and the gardens also house tombstones and statues of beloved animals. I don’t know anywhere else on earth quite like Osborne. No wonder Queen Victoria loved it so much when it is the very epitome of the heart of ‘beloved Albert’. Even though QV died there, it isn’t a gloomy place at all – on the contrary, it feels alive and vibrant and filled with happy memories and happy children."

Cheryl Anderson Brown: "I would have to say Windsor Castle because it the most historic, it is architecturally magnificent, and, despite being so ancient and so grand, at the very heart of it, it really is a home."

Anonymous: "My favourite royal residence is probably Balmoral Castle. My family comes from Aberdeenshire, which Balmoral is in. Once when I visited Balmoral with my grandmother, she started crying because they were playing a piano piece her mother used to sing to her. The castle is completely lovely, what with the beautiful gardens and the incredible masonry."

Here are the answers to the quiz written by Marlene Eilers Koenig, D.C.R.E.

1. My first cousin was king, and I was the next in line. My cousin did not have any children, and after my death, my son became my cousin’s heir. When my son died, my grandson became the heir, but when my dear cousin, the King died, the throne was usurped. In spite of this usurpation of the throne, the right line of succession was eventually resolved. Who am I?

Philippa (1355-1382), Countess of Ulster in her own right. Philippa was the only child of Lionel of Antwerp, Duke of Clarence, and Elizabeth de Burgh, 4th Countess of Ulster. Lionel was the second son of Edward III. She married Edmund Mortimer, the 3rd Earl of Mortimer, circa 1368. Philippa was next in line to the throne to Richard II, her first cousin. Richard II did not have any children. When she died in 1382, her son, Roger Mortimer, became Richard’s heir. Three years later, Richard acknowledged Roger as his heir. Roger died in 1398, and his son, Edmund, 3rd earl of March, became Richard’s heir.

But after Richard’s death, Henry of Bolingbroke usurped the throne. The throne came back to the right line, genealogically, with the succession of Edward IV.

2. I was a grandchild of Edward III, who married a lady of superior lineage. My wife died in childbirth, leaving me with a son and daughter. I lost my titles and property, and my life for plotting against the king.

Richard, 3rd Earl of Cambridge, also known as Richard of Conisburgh, second son of Edmund of Langley, Duke of York. Richard’s wife was Anne Mortimer, granddaughter of Philippa, Countess of Ulster.

3. I was never a king, but I was father to a king and two queens. My descendants have sat on thrones in Scotland and in England, although I would never have thought it legal! My ducal title is still extant.

John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (1340-1399)

4. Let’s just say I was a very pushy mother, determined to see my only son on the throne. Although I was born one side of the War of the Roses, I saw the need to bring the two houses together, by conspiring with my enemies. I lived to see my son and grandson become kings.

Lady Margaret Beaufort, daughter of John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset, who was a grandson of John of Gaunt and his third wife, Katherine Swynford.

5. I was a very, very important – and I mean important – player in the War of the Roses. I had riches and power as a peer. I had all the right connections, made the right marriage, changes sides, arranged for removal of two kings. Proud Papa, too, as my two daughters made THREE VERY IMPORTANT MARRIAGES! I did what I needed to do ... for the family, and for England. I gave my life for the cause.

Richard Neville, earl of Warwick. Grandson of Joan Beaufort, daughter of John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford. His daughters were Isabel, who married George, Duke of Clarence, and Anne, first married to Henry VI’s son, Edward the Prince of Wales, and then to Richard, Duke of Gloucester, the future Richard III.

About Cheryl Anderson

Cheryl has a wide range of interests from science to history to the arts, but her overriding preoccupation is with royalty. She has been studying the history of royal Europe for the last 30 years. She is a self-proclaimed geek, a moderately good cook and a so-so karate instructor. (Guess which one of those three is an untruth.)